The Order
of Military Merit was instituted in 1971 as part of the new Canadian
Honours System. Membership in the order is awarded for "conspicuous
merit and exceptional service by members of the Canadian Armed Forces,
both Regular and Reserve." There are three grades, Commander (the
highest), Officer, and Member. The three grades carry post-nominal
letters; CMM, OMM and MMM respectively.
The
Constitution of the Order limits the number of appointments per year for
all three levels combined to one-tenth of one percent of the
average number of persons who were members of the Canadian Forces during
the previous year. For example, in 1997 110 appointments were made.
The award is thus extremely prestigious.
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Officer of the
Order of Military Merit (OMM) |
The Grade
of Officer has been traditionally been limited to commissioned officers
in the grade of Major, Lieutenant Colonel, or Colonel (in the Army).
By the
spring of 2003, there had been just 858 appointments at the Officer
level of the Order since the inception of the award in 1972. At least
one Calgary Highlander has been admitted to the order in this level.
Lieutenant Colonel J Lynn Moffatt, OMM, CD
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Member of the Order
of Military Merit (MMM) |
The Grade
of Member has been traditionally been limited to Non-Commissioned
Members, and Commissioned Members up to the rank (in the Army) of
Captain.
By the
spring of 2003, there had been just 1,999 appointments at the Member
level of the Order since the inception of the award in 1972. At least
four Calgary Highlanders have been admitted to the order in this level
while serving as Calgary Highlanders.
Master Warrant Officer Don Maxwell, MMM, CD
Don Maxwell returned to the Calgary Highlanders as Pipe
Major in 1977 after a brief two year absence. While engaged full time
in civilian employment with PanCanadian Petroleum (a company with over
1,100 employees) as Comptroller, Pipe Major Maxwell took over a band
that had been reactivated in 1975 after being reduced to nil strength in
1969. The band grew to become the largest pipe band in Calgary under
the new leadership and won many awards and competitions. He was
rewarded for his service by being awarded the MMM in 1983.
Chief Warrant Officer Martin McCumber, MMM, CD
Chief Warrant Officer A Sanofsky, MMM, CD
Chief Warrant Officer William Toews, MMM, CD
Honourable Mentions: Calgary
Highlanders who have been admitted to the Order after moving on from
their duties within the Regiment have included:
Commander of the Order of Military Merit
General AJGD de Chastelain, OC, CMM, CH, CD
General
John de Chastelain joined the Calgary Highlanders Pipes and Drums as a
Private in January 1956, and in September of that year transferred to
the Regular Army, graduating Royal Military College in 1960 and
commissioning into the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. By
September 1989 he had achieved the highest possible rank in the Canadian
Armed Forces - General - and was named to the highest military
appointment in the land, Chief of Defence Staff. Made an Officer of the
Order of Canada and a Companion of Honour (a British award), he was also
named a Commander in the Order of Military Merit. General de Chastelain,
while serving as CDS, paraded once again with the Calgary Highlanders
Pipes and Drums in June 1990 during the Presentation of Queen's Colour
by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Member of the Order of Military Merit
Chief Warrant Officer Kent Griffiths, MMM, CD
After
promotion to 41 Canadian Brigade Group RSM, CWO Griffiths went on to
become the senior CWO of the entire Reserve force, and was recognized by
admission into the Order in the rank of Member in 2007.
